It is well known that the accuracy of a rifle is effected by the amount of force exerted between the barrel and the stock supporting the barrel. The bedding of the rifle barrel into the stock requires a great deal of skill to accurately control the force between the rifle and stock.
As the rifle is fired, harmonic vibrations are set up in the barrel which effect the accuracy of the rifle. These vibrations can only be controlled by adjusting the force exerted between the barrel and the forearm stock.
Usually, the rifle barrel is bedded into the stock under controlled weather conditions. As the weather changes, the wood has a natural tendency to change its density and often has a slight amount of warp. As the stock forearm changes in position relative to the rifle barrel, the force between the rifle barrel and stock forearm will be changed and therefore change the harmonic vibration patterns and the accuracy of the rifle by changing the trajectory of the bullet.
In addition to weather changes, different cartridge loads will react differently within certain rifles and it is desirable to change the force between the barrel to compensate for different loads to produce the smallest size group of shots on the target.
Devices heretofore devised to compensate for the force between the barrel and the rifle stock, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,612, rely on spring steel posts and requires a large amount of inletting and holes to be drilled in the stock to accommodate the elongated type devices which have several parts and screws. These devices require a skilled craftsman to install and require that considerably more volume of wood be removed from the stock for installation, thereby reducing the strength of the forearm tip. In addition, the barrel support portion of the device does not make continous contact along the device which is desirable to prevent undue wear on the outside of the barrel.